Rockville, Md. — What could be said 20 years ago is even truer today: The U.S. food retailing business has never been more competitive. According to The Future of Food Retailing: Value Grocery Shopping in the U.S., a brand new report by market research firm Packaged Facts, there are a number of trends that are putting pressure on food retailers of all stripes, from supermarkets whose bread and butter is groceries to supercenters and drugstores for which food is a smaller but still crucial part of the product mix.

Cincinnati — The Kroger Co. has named Joe Grieshaber as its new president of Fred Meyer Stores, replacing Jeff Burt, who resigned on March 20, 2017 to become Target Corporation’s senior vice president of grocery, fresh food and beverage. Grieshaber had been serving as president of Kroger's Columbus, Ohio, division.

Bucyrus, Kan. — KAI Total Pavement Management has been named winner for Best Parking Lot Pavement Project at the 2017 National Pavement Expo awards ceremony. KAI received the award for the parking improvements project at a Target store in Kalispell, Mont.

Orlando, Fla. — Orlando, Fla.-based general contractor and construction manager Williams Company Southeast is handling more than 20 Target store remodels in Florida and North Carolina that are slated for completion by October 2016.

Owings Mills, Md. — EMG, an engineering, environmental, capital planning, and project management consulting company based in Maryland and Arizona, has hired Blake A. Brosa as a new senior vice president of sales. Previously, Brosa was a senior project manager for Quality Project Management (QPM), a company that merged with EMG in 2014.

New York City — Foot Locker, Inc., a New York-based specialty athletic retailer, has appointed Pawan Verma as senior vice president and chief information officer, effective August 10. Verma succeeds Peter Brown, who retired in April after 38 years with the company.

Toronto — In addition to completing the acquisition of 12 former Target sites, Lowe’s Canada also plans to open two more locations in Ontario. Construction is currently underway in Ancaster and Mississauga, representing an additional investment in excess of approximately C$50 million.